What Is the Largest Crater Photographed On the Planet Mercury and Who Was the Crater Named After?

July 11, 2014 by Karen Hill | Filed Under: Space

The largest crater photographed so far has been named Beethoven, after the famous composer Ludwig van Beethoven.

Mercury’s topographic features are named for famous people, such as Shakespeare and Michelangelo; exploration ships, including the Santa Maria; radar installations, such as the Russian (Soviet) Vostok; and other gods, such as the Scandinavian king of gods, Odin.

The crater Beethoven is about 375 miles (625 km) in diameter.

Keep your eye on the small circle, which represents a fixed spot on Mercury’s surface.

You will see that it takes 176 days for a solar day, from one high noon to the next, to pass.